Flexible bag



Oct 1965 I. A. SILVERSTEIN 3,214,031

FLEXIBLE BAG Filed Sept. 16, 1963 United States Patent 3,214,081 FLEXIBLE BAG Irwin A. Silverstein, Pawtucket, R.I., assiguor to S. R.

Oresman & Co., Inc., West Warwick, R.I., a corporation of Rhode Island Filed Sept. 16,1963, Ser. No. 308,957

4 Claims. (Cl. 229-62) The present invention relates to a flexible bag. More particularly, the present invention relates to a flexible bag that includes opposed sheets of flexible material, a major portion of the marginal edges of which are secured together to form a mouth; and the bag as fabricated further including a header of sheet material that is secured to the flexible sheets and that is provided with a tab portion for folding over the mouth to seal the bag.

, In the manufacture of bags that are used in the sale of candies, small toys and similar articles, it has been the practice to fabricate the bags for the user with the mouth of the' bag unsealed. The unsealed bags were then shipped to the user who then filled the bags with merchandisc and thereafter sealed the bags with separately attached headers. Since this prior practice necessitated the attachment of the headers to the bags by the user of the bag, it has been necessary heretofore for the user to maintain an inventory of headers in his own establishment. If a shipment of the bags was received without the headers, or if the headers were unavailable, delays resulted in packaging the bags since the bags could not be filled without the headers for sealing the mouths thereof.

The present invention is designed to eliminate the requirement for supplying the headers separately and provides for the attachment of a header directly to a bag in the manufacture thereof. The header, as employed in the present invention, includes a base portion, the width of which is substantially the same as that of the flexible sheets that comprise the bag walls, the marginal side edges of the base portion being attached directly to the marginal edges of the flexible sheets when they are secured together in the manufacture of the bag. The header further includes a tab portion that is joined to the base portion along a fold line thereof but that is less than the width of the base portion. The fold line of the header is generally coincident with the mouth of the bag, and thus, when the tab-portion is folded, it will be folded over the mouth so as to close the interior of the bag. The mouth of the bag is sealed by attaching the tab portion to the flexible sheets and base portion in some convenient manner, In the present invention, a novel technique is incorporatedin the securement of the flexible sheets to each other and to the base portion of the header, the technique embodied herein including the stitching of an edging to the marginal edges of the flexible sheets and base portion. The marginal edging may also be continued beyond the mouth of the bag to form a loop that defines a carrying handle for the bag.

' It. is thereforeanobject of the present invention to provide a flexible bag formed of flexible sheets, the open mouth of which is sealed by a foldable header.

. Another object of the invention is to provide a flexible bag having a header for sealing the open mouth thereof, wherein the header is secured to the flexible sheets that define the bag at the marginal edges thereof.

Still another object is to provide a flexible bag, the walls of which are formed by a pair of flexible sheets that are secured together along the marginal edges thereof by an edging 'that is stitched to the marginal edges.

Still another object is to provide a flexible bag having a marginal edging secured thereto and including a header, a portion of which is secured to the marginal edging and another portion of which is folded over the mouth of the bag in sealing relation therewith.

3,214,081 Patented Oct. 26, 1965 Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings which illustrate the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the present invention:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the flexible bag embodied in the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the bag illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary rear elevational view of the flexible bag showing the folded position of the tab portion of the header that is secured to the bag;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the rear of the flexible bag showing the open position of the tab portion of the header prior to the sealing thereof;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the header before the attachment thereof to the flexible bag;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along lines 66 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along lines 77 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along lines 8-8 in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 9 is an end elevational view of the flexible bag as seen from the upper end .in FIG. 1 and after the attachment of the header thereto.

Referring now to the drawing and particularly to FIG. 1, the flexible bag embodied in the present invention is illustrated and is generally indicated at 10. As shown in FIG. 1, the flexible bag 10 is in the form of a toy stocking, such as might be utilized to simulate a Christmas stocking and would contain articles such as candies, small toys and the like. It is understood that the shape and configuration of the flexible bag as shown in FIG. 1 is merely representative of one form of a bag construction and that the concept embodied in the present invention is not limited to the configuration of the bag illustrated.

The walls of the bag 10 are defined by a pair of flexible, opposed sheets 12 and 14, which, as shown in FIG. 1, are identically shaped to define the stocking configuration. The flexible sheets 12 and 14 may be formed of any suitable material, although in the present invention the sheets are fabricated of a clear polyethylene material so as to render the objects contained in the bag 10 visible exteriorly thereof. It is also understood that other materials such as netting, in the broad sense define a sheet of material, and come within the scope of the invention. In order to define a hollow construction to form the bag, the marginal edges of the flexible sheets 12 and 14 are joined together as will be described. It is understood that various techniques may be employed to secure the marginal edges of the flexible sheets together; however, in the present invention a novel technique is employed whereby a folded marginal edging indicated at 16 is utilized for this purpose. The marginal edging 16 is folded over the outer edges of the flexible sheets 12 and 14 so as to form a binding therefor and is then secured permanently to the marginal edges of the flexible sheets 12 and 14 by a stitching indicated at 18. All of the edges of the flexible sheets are engaged by the marginal edging 16 with the exception of the upper end thereof, indicated at 19 in FIG. 2, the unsecured end 19 defining the mouth of the bag. As seen in FIG. 1, the marginal edging 16 extends beyond'the mouth 19 of the flexible sheets 12 and 14 in a continuous manner, to form a loop 20 that defines a carrying handle for the flexible bag 10. In applying the marginal edging 16 to the flexible sheets 12, 14, the edging is formed in an elongated strip, one end 22 of which is placed adjacent the uppermost edge or mouth 19 of the flexible sheets. The marginal edging 16 is then conformed to the contour of the flexible sheets 12 and 14 in engagement with the marginal edges thereof, the edging 16 extending outwardly of the mouth 19 to define the loop 20. The free end of the edging 16 indicated at 26 is then lapped over the end 22 and is secured in overlapping relation therewith. The marginal edging 16 in the manner as described thus appears to be continuous throughout the length thereof and, further, forms the loop that defines the carrying handle for the flexible bag 10.

Since the flexible bag 10 is designed for use in the display and sale of small articles, such as candies or small toys, it is preferred to provide some identifying means in association therewith so as to indicate a trade name, price or other normal identifying indicia in connection therewith. As has been indicated hereinabove, the usual prac tice heretofore has been for the user of the bag to attach a cardboard sheet to the bag after packaging of the articles therein. In order to eliminate the requirement for the user of the bag to attach a separate cardboard sheet thereto, a header generally indicated at 30 is provided and in the present invention is secured to the bag 10 during the fabrication thereof.

As seen in FIG. 5, the header 30 is formed of a sheet of material such as cardboard and is defined by a base portion 32 that includes a lower edge 34 and slightly tapered side edges 36 and 38. Joined to the base portion 32 along a fold line 40 is a tab portion 42 that is defined by an upper edge 44 and slightly tapered side edges 46 and 48. As will be described hereinafter, the tab portion 42 is adapted to be folded with respect to the base portion 32 along the fold line 40. It is for this purpose that the width of the tab portion 42 is somewhat reduced with respect to the width of the base portion 32, the reduction in width between the base and tab portions defining notches 50 and 52.

In the fabrication of the flexible bag 10, the header 30 is secured to the front flexible sheet 14, as seen in FIG. 1, by placing the base portion 32 in face-to-face relation with the flexible sheet 14 on the outermost surface thereof and with the fold line 40 coincident with the mouth 17 of the bag. The tapered side edges 36, 38 of the base portion are thus aligned with and generally conform to the configuration of the adjacent marginal edges of the flexible sheets. The marginal edging 16 is then placed around the side edges of the base portion 38, as indicated in FIGS. 6 and 7, the stitching 18 securing the base portion 32 to the rear surface of the flexible sheet 14. Since the tab portion 42 is less than the width of the base portion 32, it will be disposed between the marginal edging 16 that extends outwardly beyond the mouth 19 of the bag in the form of the loop 20. The tab portion 42 is thus provided for folding with respect to the base portion 32 and the flexible sheets to which it is attached.

The flexible bag 10 is fabricated in the manner as just described with the header 30 secured to the flexible sheets by means of the marginal edging 16 and with the tab portion 42 projecting outwardly beyond the open mouth 19 of the flexible bag 10. As will be understood the base and tab portions of the header 30 may have any desired indicia imprinted thereon in accordance with the :ontents to be inserted into the flexible bag and may also include the name of the user therewith. The tab portion may also be a die cut figure that will add to the ornamentation of the bag. After the user has inserted the desired articles into the bag, the mouth 19 is closed by folding the tab portion 32 along the fold line 40 and into face-toface contact with the outer surface of the flexible sheet 12 as seen in FIG. 3. The mouth 19 of the bag as defined by the uppermost edges of the flexible sheets 12 and 14 is thus enclosed and may be sealed by securing the tab portion 42 in place by any suitable means, such as staples 54 and 56.

Although the header 30 has been described as being joined to the sheets 12 and 14 such that the fold line 40 is coincident with the mouth 19 of the bag, it is understood that the header may be secured to the sheets with the fold line 40 displaced outwardly with respect to the mouth. This will provide additional space in the bag and the mouth area will still be securely sealed by the staples 54, 56. It is also contemplated to form the folding area of the header 30 with spaced fold lines so as to define a narrow outer surface. This construction will also provide for additional space in the bag for the merchandise located therein.

It is seen that the flexible bag 10 embodied in the present invention is simple to manufacture and represents a distinct departure over the prior known bags of this general type. The securement of the header 30 to the flexible sheets 12 and 14 during the fabrication of the bag avoids the necessity of the user of the bag of attaching such a header to the bag when received from the manufacturer. Since the user no longer has to attach the headers to the bags, the requirement for carrying a large inventory of headers is eliminated and the bags may be filled and sealed as needed.

While there is shown and described herein certain specific structure embodying the invention, it will be manifest to those skilled in the art that various modifications and rearrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive concept and that the same is not limited to the particular forms herein shown and described except insofar as indicated by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a flexible bag, opposed complementary sheets of flexible material that define the walls of said bag, a marginal edging defined by a folded strip that is secured to a major portion of both sides of the edges of said flexible sheets, the portions of the edges of said flexible sheets that are unsecured by said edging defining the mouth of said bag, and a header of sheet material for said bag being defined by a base portion and a tab portion secured to said base portion along a fold line, said tab portion projecting outwardly of the mouth of said bag and being of a width less than that of the base portion and complementary sheets and forming opposed notches with said base portion, said base portion being of a width substantially equal to that of the secured flexible sheets and being located in engaging surface-to-surface relation with one of said flexible sheets, the side marginal edges of said header base portion being secured to said flexible sheets between the folded strip that forms said edging, said edging thereby overlying the portions of said base portion defined by said notches, said tab portion that is formed between said notches being foldable along said fold line over said mouth into engagement with the other of said flexible sheets and cooperating with said base portion to capture said flexible sheets therebetween, and means for securing said folded tab portion to said flexible sheets and base portion of said header to seal said mouth.

2. In a flexible bag, opposed complementary sheets of flexible material that define the walls of said bag, a marginal edging defined by a folded strip that is secured to a major portion of both sides of the edges of said flexible sheets, the portions of the edges of said flexible sheets that are unsecured by said edging defining the mouth of said bag, a header of sheet material for said bag being defined by a base portion and a tab portion secured to said base portion along a fold line, said tab portion projecting outwardly of the mouth of said bag and being of a width less than that of the base portion and complementary sheets, said base portion being of a width substantially equal to that of the secured flexible sheets and being located in engaging surface-to-su-rface relation with one of said flexible sheets, the side marginal edges of said header bas P UOQ be ng secured to said flexible sheets between the folded strip that forms said edging, said marginal edgeing defined by the fold strip being substantially continuous and extending outwardly beyond said mouth to form a loop that defines a carrying handle for said bag, said tab portion being foldable along said fold line over said mouth into engagement with the other of said flexible sheets and cooperating with said base portion to capture said flexible sheets therebetween, and means for securing said folded tab portion to said flexible sheets and base portion of said header to seal said mouth.

3. In a flexible bag, opposed complementary sheets of flexible material that define the Walls of said bag, a marginal edging defined by a folded strip that is secured to a major portion of both sides of the edges of said flexible sheets, the portions of the edges of said flexible sheets that are unsecured by said edging defining the mouth of said bag, a header of sheet material for said bag being defined by a base portion and a tab portion secured to said base portion along a fold line, said tab portion projecting outwardly of the mouth of the said bag and being of a width less than that of the base portion and complementary sheets said marginal edging being substantial- 1y continuous and extending outwardly beyond said mouth to form a loop that defines a carrying handle for said bag, said tab portion prior to the folding thereof being located within the loop that defines said carrying handle, said base portion being of a width substantially equal to that of the secured flexible sheets and being located in engaging surface-to-surface relation with one of said flexible sheets, the side marginal edges of said header base portion being secured to said flexible sheets between the folded strip that forms said edging, said tab portion being foldable along said fold line over said mouth into engagement with the other of said flexible sheets and cooperating with said base portion to capture said flexible sheets therebetween, and means for securing said folded tab portion to said flexible sheets and base portion of said header to seal said mouth.

4. In a flexible bag as set forth in claim 3, the difference in width of said tab portion and base portion of said header defining opposed notches, the portions of said base portion defined by said notches extending between the folded strip of said marginal edging, thereby providing for location of the tab portion within the loop that defines the carrying handle of said bag.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 210,585 12/78 Weaver 150-21 2,085,365 6/37 Israel 22953 2,096,161 10/37 Curran 22955 FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A FLEXIBLE BAG, OPPOSED COMPLEMENTARY SHEETS OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL THAT DEFINE THE WALLS OF SAID BAG, A MARGINAL EDGING DEFINED BY A FOLDED STRIP THAT IS SECURED TO A MAJOR PORTION OF BOTH SIDES OF THE EDGES OF SAID FLEXIBLE SHEETS, THE PORTIONS OF THE EDGES OF SAID FLEXIBLE SHEETS THAT ARE UNSECURED BY SAID EDGING DEFINING THE MOUTH OF SAID BAG, AND A HEADER OF SHEET MATERIAL FOR SAID BAG BEING DEFINED BY A BASE PORTION AND A TAB PORION SECURED TO SAID BASE PORTION ALONG A FOLD LINE, SAID TAB PORTION PROJECTING OUTWARDLY OF THE MOUTH OF SAID BAG AND BEING OF A WIDTH LESS THAN THAT OF THE BASE PORTION AND COMPLEMENTARY SHEETS AND FROMING OPPOSED NOTCHES WITH SAID BASE PORTION SAID BASE PORTION BEING OF A WIDTH SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THAT OF THE SECURED FLEXIBLE SHEETS AND BEING LOCATED IN ENGAGING SURFACE-TO-SURFACE RELATION WITH ONE OF SAID FLEXIBLE SHEETS, THE SIDE MARGINAL EDGES OF SAID HEADER BASE PORTION BEING SECURED TO SAID FLEXIBLE SHEETS BETWEEN THE FOLDED STRIP THAT FORMS SAID EDGING, SAID EDGING THEREBY OVERLYING THE PORITONS OF SAID BASE PORTION DEFINED BY SAID NOTCHES, SAID TAB PORTION ALONG SAID FOLD LINE OVER SAID MOUTH INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH THE OTHER OF SAID FLEXIBLE SHEETS AND COOPERATING WITH SAID BASE PORTION TO CAPTURE SAID FLEXIBLE SHEETS THEREBETWEEN, AND MEANS FOR SECURING SAID FOLDED TAB PORTION TO SAID FLEXIBLE SHEETS AND BASE PORTION OF SAID HEADER TO SEAL SAID MOUTH. 